The size and weight are among the most important considerations when purchasing a rangefinder. Hunters that will be stayed in the woods overnight need to take a great deal of supplies with them. Therefore, rangefinders for hunting need to be small so that they do not take up too much room in the pack. Likewise, you don’t want the device to add too much extra weight to your load.

The typical rangefinder the average person will have the ability to use will range considerably less than what you will get out of the military issue models, but that is okay because the average person will not need near the capabilities. For most people 1000 yards will be more than enough range to get the job done. Most laser rangefinders available to the public these days are rated to range in excess of 1000 yards.

Archery Rangefinders:
These rangefinders are generally designed for ranging animals at close distances as shots over 100 yards are not needed by bow hunters. Often times these units will have a lower magnification to help the user range the animal faster at close range. Many archery hunters prefer to have some sort of angle compensation feature on their rangefinders, especially those that hunt from tree stands as these models will also factor in the angle of the shot, which can affect where the archer aims. Optics maker Leupold has recently introduced a unique archery rangefinder that mounts directly to your bow and can be utilized at full draw; however; this device is not legal for hunting purpose in all states.